Sand-tray.



No. 859,002. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907 P. K. MILLER.

SAND TRAY. APPLIOATION FILED JULY B, 1906.

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PERSIS K. MILLER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SAND-TRAY. .3

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed July 6, 1906. Serial No. 324,994.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERSIS K. MILLER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand-Trays, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in sand trays and the object of my invention is to produce a device of this character for use in kindergartens or the like which will hold a sufficient quantity of sand and which may be readily folded up and placed against the wall or in any other out of the way place, when not in use.

With these objects in view, my invention consists in pivotally mounting a box adapted. to contain a quantity of sand, in a frame. The box is so pivoted in the frame that a greater portion of the box is at one side of the pivot than at the other so that the box will be heavier on one side of the pivot than on the other. At the heavier end of the box, I provide supporting legs which are adapted to be swung against the box when not in use. I also provide a cover adapted to partially cover the box at the end which tips down and prevent the sand from falling out.

My invention also consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts, the preferred form of which will be first described and then the invention particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the same part is designated by the same reference numeral, wherever p it occurs, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the preferred form of my device in position for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same when closed up I in condition to be placed against the wall or other out of the way place.

' l designates a box which is of any desired form, preferably rectangular or square, and is composed of the usual sides and a bottom.

2 designates a cover which is hinged to the box by means of the hinges 3 3. The cover extends only part way over the top of the box and when closed overlays about one-half of the box.

' 4 is a suitable latch such as a spring clip which is adapted to engage the cover and hold the same in its closed position. 66 are a pair of uprights which are preferably coni nected together by a base portion 7, the uprights being spaced apart such a distance as to permit the box to be pivoted between them. In order to pivot the box be- 7 tween the uprights 6, the box is shown as being provided with trunnions 8-8 which are secured to the sides of the box nearer the end which is provided with the cover than the open end. These trunnions, in the form of construction shown, are mounted in bearings 9 set into the uprights 6, It is to be understood, of course, that this form of mounting the box is desired merely for the sake of illustration and any other form might be substituted therefor. By pivoting the box nearer one end than the other, it will be seen that if the sand is evenly distributed therein that the box will tend to tip down at its upper end, whereas if all the sand is at the end of the box provided with the cover, then the box will assume an upright position, as shown in Fig. 2.

10 are legs pivoted to the sides of the box near the open end thereof by means of the pivots 11.

12 is a stop mounted in the side of the box adapted to co-act with a shoulder formed on the legs to prevent the same from swinging past a position at right angles to the box. In order to accommodate the legs when the box is in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, I provide the uprights with cut away portions 13 into which the legs extend when the box is in a vertical position, as shown by dotted lines. The legs also act to prevent the box from swinging past the vertical position by striking against the back of the cut away portions 13.

From this construction, it will be seen that when the box is in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the sand pulled forward in the box, that it will be supported by the uprights 6 and the legs 10 and, when in this position, the cover 2 may be thrown back and the whole of the box made accessible to the children. Since the box is mounted off center, as described, the legs 10 will support the box in this position. When the-box is to be set aside, the cover 2 is closed and latched by means of the latch 4, and the box raised at the end provided with the legs. This will cause the sand to flow down under the cover until the box overbalances, when the same will swing into an upright position, as shown in Fig. 2 and remain there. As the box swings up into this position, the legs 10 swing around on their pivots 11 and when the box assumes a vertical position, the legs are in the cut away portion 13 in the uprights 6. When it is desired to use the box, the same is drawn down causing the legs 10 to swing down into position to support the box and the sand is drawn forward until there is more weight at the open end of the box than at the covered end. As soon as this is effected, the box will stand in the horizontal position shown in Fig. l and be ready for use. When the box is in the position shown in Fig. 2, it will be readily seen that it is in convenient shape to be placed against the wall or other out of the way place and will take up a very small amount of room.

While I have described What I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, I desire to have it understood that many changes may be made in the form, c0n struction and arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In sand tray, the combination with a pair of supports, of a box pivoted on and between the supports and adapted to be swung into a horizontal position, and means carried by the box for supporting one end of the box when it is in a horizontal position.

2. In a sand tray, the combination with suitable supports, of a box pivoted between the supports, the pivot being located nearer one end of the box than at the other and means for supporting the end of the box further away from the pivot when the box is in a horizontal position.

3. In a sand tray, the combination with suitable supports, of a box pivoted between the supports, the pivot being located nearer one end of the box than at the other,

and a cover. adapted to cover the part of the box on one side of the pivot.

4. In a sand tray, the combination with suitable uprights, of a box pivoted between the uprights, one end of the box being heavier than the other and the cover adapted to close the lighter end of the boxv 5. In a sand tray, the combination with suitable uprights, of a box pivoted between the uprights, the box on one side of the uprights being heavier than the other and means for supporting the heavy end of the box when the same is in horizon L'al position.

6. In a sand boxv the combination with suitable uprights, of a box pivoted between the uprights, one end of the box being heavier than the other. a cover adapted to close the lighter end of the box, and a latch adapted to hold the cover closed.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 28th day of October 1905.

PERSIS K. MILLER.

Witnesses GEO. W. HAULENBEEK, JOHN EMORY Cnoss. 

